Holidaymakers have been advised to be careful when charging their devices abroad after over 13,000 travel adaptors have been deemed unsafe by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).
The body identified risks such as fire, electrocution and incorrect product labelling following a “large scale” product safety investigation.
As a result, 7,262 travel adaptors have been recalled while 6,245 further units have been pulled from the shelves.
A spokesperson for the CCPC said: “Travel adaptors can be a particularly risky product for consumers because even when an individual product is compliant, if it’s used incorrectly then it becomes unsafe.
“Don’t use adaptors to plug in always-on items or extension leads as this can cause a fire. Travel adaptors are designed for short-term use only.
“The CCPC is continuing to engage with suppliers and other EU product safety bodies to prevent unsafe products from reaching retailers and consumers.”
Alongside the mass recall, those travelling abroad have been advised to use adaptors only in the countries listed on packaging of products, to always plug the charger into the adaptor first before plugging into the socket and to avoid overloading adaptors. Consumers have also been warned to unplug adaptors when devices are charged, especially when leaving accommodation or when going to sleep.
